Shadows of Love
Saving Sunshine
It had been three weeks since he realized he'd fallen in love with this human.
Three weeks he'd spent protecting her with his very undead life. He'd taken her
home and packed her things, bringing her back to his nest and proclaiming her
his. In doing so he protected her from the others who lived in the home and it
also gave him joy to think that she belonged to him in any way at all.
Her father had put up quite the fight when Draven strolled into his home as if
he owned the place. He led Sunshine up the stairs to her room and threw her
things into a bag as her father ranted and raved from downstairs. He was still
screaming when Star walked into the room and stared at Draven.
“Who are you?” She stood looking between him and Sun with her hands on her hips
like any normal 13 year old would.
Draven smiled at her. “I'm Draven, a friend of Sun's. You must be Star.” He
extended a hand hesitantly.
“Star,” she said as she stomped off without a look back.
He turned to find Sun sitting in the middle of the floor, her shoulders slumped,
sobbing quietly. He sped to her and picked her up, holding her close.
“What is it, love?”
She looked up at him with such sorrow that he thought for sure his dead heart
would break.
“I can't leave her here. What if he touches her?” She paused, not wanting him to
know the full details but knowing she had to save her sister the pain she felt.
“Like he did me,” she whispered between sobs.
His growl shook the house as the meaning of her words hit him full force. He
held her tighter to him more determined than ever to protect her.
“I'll kill him,” he calmly stated.
Sun cried harder, shaking in his arms. “NO, YOU CAN'T. He's my father. And
they'll take you from me. Please, please don't touch him.” She begged him, her
tears soaking his shirt.
He was unable to speak, so he nodded and held her trying to calm her. After
several minutes of calming himself he sat her on the bed and packed the
remaining items. Picking her up, he carried her down the stairs and to the car.
“No matter what you hear, STAY HERE, love.” He sped back to the house before she
could answer. He tore into the house and picked her father up by his throat,
holding him inches off the floor so that his feet dangled.
His gasping breaths were like music to his ears and he hissed a warning to this
little man that he wished dead.
“If you ever come near Sun again, I will kill you so slowly that you'll beg me
for death. She is protected by me now.” Draven bared fangs and dropped Sun's
father to the floor, kicking him violently. “This is your only warning. Touch
either of your daughters again and there will be nowhere safe on this earth for
you to hide.”
He caught sight of Star standing on the stairs and called out as he left the
house. “I'll be back for you soon.”
Sun watched him leave the house, curious about what had happened but too afraid
to ask. She took it for granted that Draven had given her father a warning and
she hoped like hell it was a good one. She never wanted to come back to this
house or this life. But she worried for Star being stuck here. She couldn't bare
the thought of her father doing those things to Star. She'd always protected her
little sister and now she wouldn't be here to do so.
Her tears flowed freely and Draven reached across the car to take her hand in
his to try to calm her. She held tight to his hand as if he were her only
lifeline. His heart broke once more at the thought of the pain she'd experienced
at the hands of one who should've loved her unconditionally.
He carried her into the house planning to put her in the spare room until she
cried harder and begged to stay with him. He could never deny her when she
cried. He placed her on his bed and climbed in with her. Pulling her to him, he
held her close and ran his hands through her hair trying to calm her.
She fell into a restless sleep, plagued by dreams of Star and her father. As
hard as he tried he couldn't take the pain from her. He vowed to himself that
night that he'd spend eternity showing her just how love is meant to feel.
The next night he woke to find her watching him once again. Grinning, he wrapped
an arm around her and kissed her for the first time.
Sun had never been kissed with such passion or intensity. Draven's arms kept her
body pressed to him and his kiss ignited a fire that continues to burn to this
very day. She was innocent in her own way. She'd never known the touch of love.
Her body had been used selfishly by those who were supposed to love her. Now
she'd found a love that would survive even the worst of betrayals.
Draven knew from the moment his lips touched hers that his heart belonged to
her. Just as Sun knew that she loved him from the second she opened her eyes and
saw his smile.
These two souls were destined to find one another. It was up to them to find a
way to stay together.
TO BE CONTINUED....